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Summary:A Prayer Before Dawn is the remarkable true story of Billy Moore, a young English boxer incarcerated in two of Thailand’s most notorious prisons. He is quickly thrown into a terrifying world of drugs and gang violence, but when the prison authorities allow him to take part in the Muay Thai boxing tournaments, he realizes this might be hisA Prayer Before Dawn is the remarkable true story of Billy Moore, a young English boxer incarcerated in two of Thailand’s most notorious prisons. He is quickly thrown into a terrifying world of drugs and gang violence, but when the prison authorities allow him to take part in the Muay Thai boxing tournaments, he realizes this might be his chance to get out. Billy embarks on a relentless, action-packed journey from one savage fight to the next, stopping at nothing to do whatever he must to preserve his life and regain his freedom. Shot in a an actual Thai prison with a cast of primarily real inmates, A Prayer Before Dawn is a visceral, thrilling journey through an unforgettable hell on earth. …Expand

My one complaint with the movie is that it's not an entirely accurate depiction of Billy Moore's time in the Thailand prison system. It stays true to the essence of his accounts, but there are events here that are totally fictionalized. I get that this is a common occurrence in film, butMy one complaint with the movie is that it's not an entirely accurate depiction of Billy Moore's time in the Thailand prison system. It stays true to the essence of his accounts, but there are events here that are totally fictionalized. I get that this is a common occurrence in film, but given that this is marketed as the "true story" I would have preferred if it was actually, well, the true story.

This depiction of Moore's journey is still powerful though. We witness a man at his lowest point. Incarcerated in a place where he doesn't even speak the language, scrounging for heroin to feed his addiction, and witnessing horrible acts on a daily basis. The film pulls no punches when it comes to its portrayal of prison life. Every shot feels disgusting and dangerous.

It's through the prison's boxing team that Moore begins to find a place among his fellow inmates and chance at redemption. Giving the movie an uplifting quality amongst all the filth. That doesn't mean things ever get soft though. The blows traded onscreen are real. Actor Joe Cole trained extensively for the role to ensure that he could believably hold his own in the ring.

The authenticity doesn't end there. Every inmate in the film was a former prisoner at some point. Many of whom can't speak English. The movie does a great job of letting viewers experience the same language barrier troubles as Moore did. Much of the dialog goes untranslated. So when the attacks start happening we get a small taste of the same anxiety and confusion as to why.

Joe Cole's raw performance is a sight to behold. He embodies all the rage, guilt, and pain of his subject with such soul. Effectively making this story of finding humanity and hope in the worst of situations and places all the more compelling. It may not be 100% accurate, but Moore's story is made no less incredible because of it.…Expand

A Prayer Before Dawn is a harrowing yet beautiful fierce tale of addiction. Neither the description nor the trailer do it justice. While the premise is rather simple and almost cliché, its execution is what's truly exceptional. Sauvaire succeeds at creating a personal film with a naturalA Prayer Before Dawn is a harrowing yet beautiful fierce tale of addiction. Neither the description nor the trailer do it justice. While the premise is rather simple and almost cliché, its execution is what's truly exceptional. Sauvaire succeeds at creating a personal film with a natural flow, which paired with the extremely authentic production results in one of the most immersive experiences of the year.…Expand

It's a harrowing, crude and visceral prison film. It's not an easy film to watch.I think it's a good film but you need patience to watch it because the narrative rhythm is very, very slow. And it's also a bit underwhelming because it pretty much goes on and on with the harsh situations toIt's a harrowing, crude and visceral prison film. It's not an easy film to watch.I think it's a good film but you need patience to watch it because the narrative rhythm is very, very slow. And it's also a bit underwhelming because it pretty much goes on and on with the harsh situations to extend the dramatic momentum and it becomes a little bit exhausting at one point but still it's a good option, especially for the great performance by Joe Cole, which is definitely the best role of his career so far and that's pretty much it.…Expand